Raveena Tandon attends the Global Spa Awards 2023 in Mumbai. File/AFP

Raveena Tandon not only connected with her ‘Patna Shuklla’ character Tanvi, but also drew inspiration from her grounded and home-proud ways, and resonated with her struggles. “Tanvi Shuklla is a character that everyone will relate with,” Tandon said. “I have met many people like Tanvi, so my character felt familiar and I instantly connected with her story. The way she tries to find work life balance, I genuinely resonated with her struggles.” Disney+ Hotstar’s upcoming film ‘Patna Shuklla’ narrates the story of a small-time lawyer and home-maker, Tanvi Shukla, who takes matters in her own hands when she sees a student entangled in a roll number scam, which affects the lives and careers of thousands of honest and hard-working youngsters every year. Talking about the film’s connection with Patna, Tandon said, “Tanvi is rooted in the city, so I spent time understanding the Patna ‘laheza’, or the mentality of the people and tried to include those little details to make it a well-rounded character.” Dwelling on the film’s message, she added, “I hope many women out there feel inspired after watching Tanvi’s story because despite so many hardships, she went on to fight for what’s right.” Produced by Arbaaz Khan Productions and directed by Vivek Budakoti, the courtroom drama begins streaming on Disney+ Hotstar starting on March 29.

Raveena Tandon is a recipient of several awards, including a National Film Award, two Filmfare Awards and a Filmfare OTT Award. In 2023, she was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian honour. The daughter of director Ravi Tandon, she made her acting debut in the 1991 action film Patthar Ke Phool, which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. Tandon established herself by playing the leading lady in the commercially successful action films Dilwale (1994), Mohra (1994), Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), and Ziddi (1997). She earned a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the 1994 drama Laadla and in the late 1990s, she collaborated with Govinda in several successful comedies, including Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998), Dulhe Raja (1998) and Anari No.1 (1999). She also played against type in the crime dramas Ghulam-E-Mustafa (1997) and Shool (1999).

In the 2000s, Tandon ventured into arthouse cinema with roles in the 2001 films Daman and Aks, both of which garnered her critical acclaim, winning the National Film Award for Best Actress for the former and a Filmfare Special Performance Award for the latter. Post her marriage with film distributor Anil Thadani, Tandon took a break from films. She intermittently appeared on television with shows like the Sahara One drama Sahib Biwi Gulam (2004), the dance reality show Chak De Bachche (2008) and talk shows Isi Ka Naam Zindagi (2012) and Simply Baatien With Raveena (2014). After several years of hiatus, Tandon starred in the thriller Maatr (2017) and received praise for her leading role in the Netflix crime thriller series Aranyak (2021), winning a Filmfare OTT Award for Best Actress.

Agencies